Howdy Texan –

I spent this week in Washington ensuring my Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill passed the House. As we enter the August district work period, I wanted to update you on my work in Washington and our community!

ON THE DOCKET:

Passing the First Appropriations Bill
Army Caucus
TX-31 Congressional Veteran Commendation

THE BRIEF:

A report by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration revealed that Mexican cartels' global reach outpaces the agency's operating capacity.
According to AAA, national gas prices rose by 4 cents on Tuesday to $3.64, the highest one-day increase since last June.
Mexican cartels are expanding their global criminal empires to include mass theft operations targeting big-box stores, luxury retail brands, and small businesses, then selling the stolen goods online and laundering the profits through Chinese brokers.

PASSING MY BILL THROUGH THE HOUSE

My Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill passed the House on Thursday. As the first appropriations bill to pass the House this year, I'm very proud of the legislation I wrote. As chairman, I aimed to fulfill our promise to America's heroes while being a good steward of taxpayers' hard-earned dollars. The bill fully funds veterans' health care and benefits, invests in deterrence against hostile actors like the Chinese Communist Party, and prioritizes quality-of-life projects for our service members and their families. While President Biden tried to undercut our military in his budget, I fought back to cut wasteful woke priorities and instead invested in the resources military families deserve.

Read my statement here.

HOSTING ARMY CAUCUS EVENTS

ARMY MODERNIZATION & TRANSFORMATION

As co-chairman of the bipartisan House Army Caucus, I hosted an event with General James Rainey and Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology Doug Bush to discuss the importance of Army modernization and transformation. Opportunities like these allow members and staffers from both sides of the aisle to engage with top military officials and gain insight into the Army.

MEMBERS CAUCUS BREAKFAST WITH GENERAL BRITO

In addition, as Army Caucus co-chair, I hosted a breakfast with General Gary Brito to allow members to talk about Army recruitment, retention rates, and readiness. With China's increased aggression, ensuring we are ready to face any challenge necessary to protect the homeland is crucial.

TX-31 CONGRESSIONAL VETERAN COMMENDATION

The TX-31 Congressional Veteran Commendation (CVC) is a nominations-based program designed to recognize Texas’ 31st Congressional District veterans for their wartime sacrifices and peacetime community involvement. If you know an outstanding TX-31 veteran, please nominate them for my CVC. The deadline to nominate a veteran is Thursday, September 7, at 5:00 PM.

You can learn more here.

Nominate an outstanding veteran here.

As always, thank you for taking the time to stay updated on what's happening in Texas' 31st congressional district. Follow my Facebook and Twitter accounts for more updates.

It is an honor and privilege to represent you and Texas in the United States House.

Sincerely,